Wartime procurement tends to repeat a design that already works, so historical Battle-class orders might instead become enlarged batches of Tribals beginning around 1940-41. HMAS Arunta's November 1939 laying down and the later Canadian and Australian builds already supplied a basis from which Britain could expand the program rapidly after Norway demonstrated the type's value. Vickers-Armstrong's Newcastle yard is one likely center for accelerated construction. Later ships could trade one twin mounting for a second torpedo bank, extra 40 mm guns, or anti-submarine equipment while retaining the basic hull and dual-purpose battery. Britain also starts from a stronger peacetime construction base than the US Navy, whose good designs had not been ordered in sufficient numbers by Congress, although later American output would still exceed British scale. These modified Tribals would provide a quickly reproducible combination of surface firepower, escort utility, and fleet air defense.
Chapter · 49:39-54:09
Modified Tribals become a wartime fleet backbone
A proven all-purpose and anti-aircraft Tribal design could displace later destroyer programs and enter mass production for Britain, Canada, and Australia.